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JD & Mookie: Season ONE

It was November 2006
and I was still in college. I was out in Turlock, California attending
California State University Stanislaus. I do not expect most of the
readers to know where Turlock is. I definitely do not think many have
even heard the word Stanislaus before. Shout out to those who have.
The Warriors (CSU’s team name) are actually very good in baseball and they play
in one of the best Division Two conferences in America. If you’re
unfamiliar with college sports Division Two is not as great as Division One but
better than Division Three. Perhaps I’ll share some college baseball
memories in another article, man I do love my teasers.

My buddies and I were
excited for the debut episode of a new MTV reality show. The commercials
had been running for a few months now and were building major hype. We
all thought they were super funny and we were counting down the days until the
November premier. The show was titled Rob and Big. It chronicled
two good friends and their hilariously crazy adventures.

Rob Dyrdek is a famous
skateboarder who has gone on to become a wildly popular television personality
as well as a successful business man. When the show began he was mainly
known for skateboarding and his clothing brand. I will admit I used to
have my fair share of DC apparel. You probably know him now from Fantasy
Factory and Ridiculousness. Both are good shows but Rob and Big is my
favorite. There is zero doubt that Rob Dyrdek lives his life to the
fullest but he is also very very funny. I could start rattling off some
of his best lines but I would like you to continue reading this article.

Christopher “Big
Black” Boykin was Rob’s huge bodyguard and he was the other main character of
the reality show. He was hired to bully security guards so Rob could get
skate footage on their company’s property. Needless to say he did his job
very well. He was a great body guard but he too was absolutely hilarious.
You are probably familiar with his phrase “DO WORK, SON!!” I actually
still say it to this day matter of fact. He was one of the coolest and
most likeable guys on tv. If you haven’t watched Rob and Big you have to
go check it out. If you like MTV shows Rob and Big will not let you down.
Big Black would go on to work with Rob on television for many years to
come. RIP Big Black.

This show went on for
a few seasons and my friends and I watched every episode. It was so funny
and enjoyable. You can watch episodes more than once and still laugh you
butt off. Rob and Big was a legendary duo and if you’re a Red Sox fan or
just a fan of baseball you may be watching a potential legendary duo right now.

Mookie Betts (Rob) and
JD Martinez (Big) are demolishing the baseball this season. This
dynamic duo is leading the way for the elite Boston Red Sox offense. Both
guys are American League All-Stars and are currently two of the front runners
for the AL MVP. The sad part is that this story isn’t being told on
the major networks. Baseball has become the background noise of the sports
world. I love baseball so I’ll defend it until I’m blue in the face.
But I’ll save this epic rant for another time. Now, back to your
regularly scheduled programming… This pair of Red Sox players may be the most
fun to watch in the league. I know, I know they aren’t the only superstar
tandem in the league but they are my favorite. Lindor and Ramirez?
Amazing. Stanton and Judge? Tall. Trout and Ohtani? Fun, but I
think Mookie Betts and JD Martinez aka, 2018’s Rob and Big, are the best.

Mookie Betts is having
himself one helluva season. He is becoming one of, if not the best
overall player in the entire league. I am not here to debate whether
Betts is 1st, 2nd, 5th, or the 10th best player in the MLB.
Regardless of where you rank him, he is unquestionably amongst the most
talented. His lightening quick swing keeps his batting average up there
with anyone in baseball. He currently leads the league. You got to love
to see that.He ranks in the top 10 in
home runs and he isn’t just hitting a bunch of meaningless homers. He crushes
go ahead glam slams and walk off dingers. You remember his slam against
the new Yankees’ starter right? It gave the Red Sox the lead and drew a
“time to paaartyy!!!” call from Eck. Betts has been electric all season.
His speed is just another weapon in his arsenal. Mookie is also top 10 in
steals. He can mash one over the monster or terrorize your defense after
lining a single up the middle. He has been an absolute superstar at the
plate but he is also making highlight reel plays on defense. Ask
anyone in baseball and they will tell you that Mookie is an elite right
fielder.Betts can riffle runners out on
the bases just as likely as he can ROB a home run.

Close your eyes.Now picture the Boston Red Sox along with the
rest of the MLB hesitating to sign Martinez. I understand you cannot
actually do that because this is a WRITTEN article and if you literally close
your eyes you couldn’t follow the next steps. Okay then...Martinez
sat around unsigned probably wondering what teams were thinking. JD
destroyed National League pitchers in the second half of last season. He
hit 29 home runs and drove in 65 runs after being traded to the Arizona
Diamondbacks halfway through the season. I believe that’s very, very good.
But what is really absurd is that he hit 16 homers in the month of September
helping his team get into the playoffs. I can only imagine that he must
have been really confused why teams were willing to pay him to anchor their
lineup. Fast forward a bit and here we are watching JD Martinez batting
in the middle of a first place Boston Red Sox squad.

JD Martinez is leading
all of the MLB in home runs and RBIs. He has shown that the power he
displayed in Arizona last year was completely real. Martinez has taken
the Red Sox offense to the next level. Last season it was clear that the
Sox lacked power in their lineup and it always felt like they weren’t able to
hit one out when the lineup was most desperate. Martinez’s power has
played a big role in changing that. Just like his counterpart Mookie
Betts, JD drives in clutch runs and can put the ball in the stands when the Sox
need it most. As a Red Sox fan I am very happy he is a BIG part of the
offense.

All cards on the
table, I am a big fan of Julio Daniel Martinez. I play fantasy baseball
with some of my buddies and I took a chance and drafted him in the FIRST round.
Here is a spoiler for the guys in my league…JD Martinez is 100% going to be one
of my keepers.If you know me then you
know these two things: 1. I get waaaay too confident on a dance floor if I’ve
enjoyed an adult beverage and 2. I am very biased towards my fantasy roster. JD
Martinez is my favorite player on the Red Sox and my wife thinks he is handsome
so he has the Desrosiers’ vote for MVP.

This isn’t a Batman
and Robin situation. This is a Batman and a shorter Batman situation.
Two super stars, battling for AL MVP. I cannot wait to watch the rest of
the baseball season. Red Sox winning the division remains the main focus
on the year.If things continue the way
they were before the All-Star break this could be an epic race for AL’s Most
Valuable Player. Red Sox fans are witnessing something amazing and I hope
the rest of the sports world can realize it before it’s over.

Stay tuned and enjoy
the rest of the first season of Mookie and JD. This year has been amazing
so far, I already cannot wait for season TWO.

Follow me on Twitter @Matty_wests1de

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